Submarine mine.



G. B. RILEY 62 H. O. MOCK.

SUBMARINE MINE.

APPLICATION men JAN. I7. 1915.

1,295m65a Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

3 f i i f/v 1mm Toms. 7 GB. iflugrg h! 0. 0 0r GERARD BRO!) RILEY AND HERBERT OGTAVIUS MOCK, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

snmunninn Minn.

raeaoea Specification 0i. Letters Patent.

Patented llFneb. ll, Tim.

Application filed January 17, 1918. Serial No. 212,371.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GERARD Brook RI- LEY, commander H. N, and HERBERT OCTA- VIUS Moon, lieutenant-commander R. N. V, R, subjects of the King of England, residing in London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Submarine Mines, of which the following. is a specification.

][t is well known that a moored submarine mine when laid out in the sea is subject to continued oscillation or pumping in a vertical plane due to wave and tide action, with the result that the mooring cable and its connections to the mine and sinker are subject to a sudden jerk or strain every time the mine reaches the upper limit of its oscillation. With the mines now employed, this sudden jerk or strain is of considerable magnitude and has caused mines to break away from their moorings thereby rising to the surface and disclosing the presence of the mine field and becomlng floatingmines.

The object of this invention is the provision of a device between the mine and sinker or between any other moored buoyant body and its mooring, or for any other moving body subject to shock, which acts as ashock absorber or vibration damper, whereby any sudden jerk or strain due to upward and downward movement of the mine or other body is prevented.

A device fulfilling the object of this invention consists broadly of a dash-pot type of apparatus, in which provision 1s made for the upward travel of the mine or other body and the sudden pull exerted on reaching the limit of its upward travel or thereabout, to eflect work being done against the pressure of the surrounding water.

A convenient constructional form of the device is illustrated in part longitudinal section in the accompanying drawlng, and consists of a cylinder 1 of the requisite strength and dimensions in which a piston 2 is, monted normally retained in position by one or more coil springs 3 mounted on the piston rod i which passes through a cap 5, screwed or otherwise secured to one end oi the cylinder the other end being closed in any suitable way such as by a plug 6 provided with means for connecting that end of the cylinder to the mooring cable or the like such as a circular aperture 7' or a keyhole slot or the like.

Un the end 8 of the piston .rod 4: remote from the piston a swiveling shackle 9 is securely mounted in any suitable way such as for example by a Washer plate and nut 10 provided with a locking cotter pin or look nut, or other means preventing any possibrlity of the nut working loose and falling oil", and of the shackle then becoming free of the, device. The shackle is connected directly to the mine or other body or to a length of cable or the like on the mine.

The cylinder 1 is provided with a series of perforations or apertures 11 which may be conveniently of decreasing diameter with or Without progressively increasing spacing in the direction of the outward travel of the piston against the spring.

The piston may be provided with one or more ball or other valves 12 contained internally of the piston in suitably shaped slots or apertures 13 formed through the same.

When the device is to be laid out with a mine or other moored buoyant body, the cylinder is filled with a viscous liquid as a thick oil, or grease or soap, in order that no damage shall result on laying owing to the cylinder not being filled with water. This filling material is extruded the first time the mine or other body pumps or oscillates.

The operation of the device if employed with a mine or moored buoyant body is as follows :When the mine or other body moves downward, the tension or pull between the shackle and the opposite end of the cylinder is decreased, and the piston reaches the extremity of its travel inward owing to the action of the spring, and the cylinder will be full of water. On the mine or other body rising, and on gettin near the limit of its upward movement, t e piston will be drawn outward of the cylinder forcing out water through. the perforations against the pressure due to depth of immersion, compressing the spring, and toreing the ball valve or valves if such be used on their seatings.

As the piston moves outward, the perforations become covered one after the other by the piston, and it will be evident that no sudden shock can come on the mooring or its connections, the employment of perforations progressively decreasing in size giving an advantage over perforations all of the same size.

As the mine or other body falls again, the

strain is taken off the mooring rope, and the spring forces the piston'inward any water which enters behind the rear face of the piston passing through theapertures in the cylinder. v

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in What manner the same is to be performed, We declare that what we claim is by the sol-id wall but adapted to be drawn to the portion of the cylinder provided with the openings whereby said plston initially operates against'the water pressure due to immersion and finally against the retarding action of the water exerted as a confined fluid.

2. A shock absorber for submarine mines of the type including a mine, sinker and 1. A shock absorber for submarine mines mooring cable, consisting of shock absorbin of the type including amine, sinker and mooring cable, consisting of shock absorbs ing means interposed between said mine and sinker and cooperating with said mooring cable, said shock absorbing means including a cylinder provided in a portion of the wa 1 thereof with openings communicating with the water pressure due to lmmerslon, and

having a portion of the wall solid, and a" piston fitted in said cylinder normally positioned in the portion of the cylinder lnclosed means interposed between said mine an said slnker and cooperatlng with said moorlng cable, sald shock absorbing means 1nc1uding a cylinder provided with openings communicating with the water pressure due toimmersion and a piston fitted in said cylinder operating against said water ressure. Signed at London, England, t is 30th day of November, 1917.

GERARD BROOK RILEY.

HERBERT OCTAVIUS MOCK. 

